Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of input devices. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to electronic input devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to the field of multilingual keyboards that provide Unicode compliant instructions. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to the field of non roman, Asian languages complaint keyboards.
Description of Related Art
Keyboard is an input device having a plurality of keys performing predetermined functions. The keys are arranged in a layout so as to be user-friendly. A keyboard is also described to be the Human Machine Interface (HMI) device, as a portable supplemental keyboard, as a device which functions as an interface point through which the human language input is passed on to the operating system and applications of a computer. A Keyboard layout includes a mapping of human language-elements in an organized format so as to enable facilitation of human language input. For example: QWERTY, Dvorak are specific named types of PC-Keyboard layouts which enable roman alphabet characters to be input tor processing and generate output that is ASCII/Unicode compliant.
Human Language-elements cover the following: Text character and their conjuncts (the visual shape of sound, the language script elements), numerals, arithmetic operators, punctuation, tonal modifier like diacritics, formatting symbols, special symbols, and the like which may be language specific (such as religious symbols, cultural shapes-outlines and signs). The language-elements of Languages of India (LOI) have multiple structural and processing commonalities, even though the script of characters do have distinct individual shapes and conjoining contour behaviors. The official keyboard layout for languages of India is approved in the standard ISCII-91/IS 13194: 1991. ISCII is the short form for Indian standard code for information interchange. Inscript, the short name for Indian Scripts, is the name for the keyboard layout.
Keyboard models other than the ‘Inscript’ of keyboard layouts, for example, ‘Baraha’ needs a software installation, and custom fonts. Certain other software such as ‘Webdunia’, ‘Taalapatram’, ‘Nudi’, ‘Bhasha’ work with the limitations of Browser plug-in, using an internal software key mapping. Certain software's such as ‘Srilipi’, ‘I-leap’, ‘GIST card’, use special hardware keyboards, dangle locks, locking of standard keyboards by use of a lock-key (Scroll lock or num lock/caps lock) and custom layouts to achieve the end result, i.e., providing an Indian language keypad layout. Certain software keyboards use the online soft-screen and transliteration models such as ‘Google’ transliteration working within the Browser. Certain other software's such I-translator (Omkarananda) which uses again key maps by transliteration on English PC keyboard layout.
The scripts of languages of India are covered under the scope of two major standards: ISCII and Unicode. Thus, each character of languages of India, as rendered visually, can be linked to one unique Unicode value/Unicode sequence value/link to ISCII. The prior art InScript layout uses the design philosophy of positioning ‘LOI language elements’ in a secondary way in relation to the roman alphabet/English language-elements. This is the overlay approach where LOI phonemes are mapped to the proximate phonemic value of English alphabets. Further, the prior art Inscript layout involves designing the LOI-Keyboard layout within the constraints of a keyboard-layout primarily designed for Roman alphabet character usage environment. This is reflected in the QWERTY-Overlay design for LOI and upper ASCII anchored LOI code positioning, of the Inscript keyboard layout. The ASCII Standard is primarily bound to Roman alphabet character centric approach and is not adequate to meet the needs of Non-roman script languages/LOI.
Another prior art solution was to use of the alphanumeric keypad mapped multiple tapping on the same key to generate scripted characters and numerals/symbols in languages of India. This is deployed in mobile devices, where in there are several operational constraints and the volume of document is miniscule compared to the volume of texts to be handled in other routine work-environments. This is still a cumbersome process limited to the small volume text messaging services on the mobiles. With the advancements in computer technology, the reach of computers has extended to several large segments of social, economic, governmental, judiciary and executive, media and archives, educational and national work environments. As a result, the density of non-technical users of computers has increased multifold over the technical programmers. Several of the functions that have been integrally anchored on the QWERTY keyboard, keeping the needs of the programming community and English speaking society were not of any practical use for this new group of users. Contra, new user-friendly, culturally and linguistically appropriate language interface on the keyboard has become a critical desirable functionality. This scenario has ushered in the demand for development of a ‘different, native user friendly, method for inputting of language visuals-symbols in to digital devices.
The available devices for inputting the languages of India on to digital devices are still being designed and delivered by making an overlay of the ‘Indian language characters’ on the standard ‘QWERTY’ layout design. Even though many modifications and upgrades/embellishing application oriented expansions have been made available for the keyboards, thereby raising the density of keys from early 84 to current 122 on the keyboards, the QWERTY area and upper-ASCII code dependency models have not been modified. These aforementioned modifications have not made any impact on the method of inputting Indian language characters in to digital devices' which is linguistically and culturally appropriate, user friendly and contemporary. There has been a several fold increase in the user population seeking a solution for inputting languages of India in to digital devices, applications like mail, banking and browsing. This summarizes the need to seek a new model of keyboard device for inputting script and phonemic elements of languages of India for processing in digital devices.
Provided herein below is a comparison between the features of languages of India (LOI) and Roman alphabet character set. With reference to the ‘total number of characters’, the LOI character set varies from 49 to 64, whereas the Roman alphabet character set count is 52. Further, the LOI character set includes 36 vowels and 33 consonants whereas the Roman alphabet character set includes 5 vowels and 21 consonants. Further, the scripting feature in case of LOI is agglutinating in nature, i.e., a single final visual unit represents unique conjoined phonemes and accent modifiers, whereas in case of Roman alphabet character set, the scripting feature is non-agglutinating, i.e., multiple characters are required to represent the conjoined phonemes. Further, the characters corresponding to LOI are written using a variety of schema, i.e., Devanagari models hang from the top line whereas south Indian languages have curling rolling glyphs and conjuncts going all round the shape-body of primary character. But in contrary, the characters of the Roman character set are written in a similar manner across the corresponding languages. Further, in case of characters corresponding to LOI, in a given Indian language, a symbol carries the same phonemic value irrespective of its position in the word and context. The total word needs to be learnt in one single way and represented in only that way, whereas, in case of Roman character set, a character carries different phonemic values depending on the position where it occurs, the context, the language convention related to silent letters, the surrounding characters and the language factor. The total word needs to be learnt In two modes: Scripted spelling mode for writing accuracy and pronunciation mode—for speaking a proper language. The systems and methods proposed by the below mentioned patent: documents also aim to simplify the process of proving character inputs via a HMI.
US Patent Application Publication No. 20090179780 describes a hand held thumb touch type-able ASCII/UNICODE keyboard that has an alphanumeric keypad having multiple quad keys and multiple dual keys, and a navigation keypad having multiple dual keys and single-function keys. Each corner of the dual keys of the alphanumeric keypad allows a user to type separate characters. In addition, a homing key is located at the center of the alphanumeric keypad. The goal is to provide capability of typing all the ASCII characters through a hand-held mobile device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,488 describes an ergonomically condensed QWERTY reduced size keyboard having a QWERTY-keyboard layout that allows maintenance of the same typing speed and accuracy associated with conventional keyboards. U.S. Pat. No. 7,420,543 describes another model of layout on QWERTY Keyboard for making input of characters of LOI.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,252 describes a downsized keyboard for use with the Japanese language. One vowel is assigned to each key of a first key group. Two consonants are assigned to each key in a second key group. An unvoiced consonant is input with a single key-pressing operation while a voiced consonant is input with a double key-pressing operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,216 describes a keyboard for entering characters tor the Japanese language. One embodiment of the keyboard executes inputting of a character by zero, one, or a plurality of strokes of a code key and sequential stroke of a separator key for selecting a letter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,884 describes a user-definable keyboard apparatus for use with the Chinese language. A key may correspond to one or more Chinese characters and a character may be assigned to one or more keys. The apparatus may automatically verify that a user-defined keyboard is rational by reference to a character sound grouping rules table.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,647 describes a “user-friendly and efficient keyboard” for the English language. The keyboard layout places punctuation marks in the center of the keyboard with letters arranged alphabetically on either side of the punctuation marks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,928 describes a keyboard for the Korean Language. Keys on a keyboard are assigned a plurality of characters. A word processor software analyzes key sequences to resolve ambiguities and determine which characters are intended.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,950 describes an on-screen keyboard for the Japanese language. An array of Japanese based Kana characters are displayed. The first selection of a character key causes the display of the character in base kana form. The second consecutive selection of the same key causes the display of the character in a variant form Subsequent consecutive selections cause the display of the character in further variant forms.
U.S. Pat. No. 207,559 is for the Standard QWERTY-PC layout. This is to be accommodated in any multilingual keyboard, for working with the standard functions of the computer keyboards for data formatting and useful compilations.
Hence there is a need to develop a Brahmi derived common phonemic Unicode generator keyboard layout for languages of India (LOI). Further there is a need to develop a keyboard layout that enables a user to input the characters in a plurality of Indian languages. Still further there is a need to develop a keyboard layout that is extended to other languages of the world, without compromising the input model for the LOI language elements.
The above mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.